February is a month to celebrate LOVE

ARI Region 4 shared the “LOVE” of researched based topics throughout the region this month.   

February 18, 2014 was an early dismissal for students in Tuscaloosa County and a learning opportunity for the teachers.  The ARI Regional Support Staff facilitated two groups of professional development at the Tuscaloosa County Board of Education office to faculties from five different schools. The elementary schools represented were Big Sandy, Crestmont, Cottondale, Maxwell, and Taylorville Primary.   

One session involved K-2 teachers learning about active engagement and the second session involved 3-5 teachers learning about strategic teaching. At the same time, the majority of Holt Elementary School teachers were involved in professional development on their own campus with a focus on analyzing student writing samples and collaboratively planning CCRS lessons.

Two region-wide formative assessment professional learning groups, representing six districts, met and extended their learning about how formative assessment impacts teaching instruction and teacher learning. The big idea of formative assessment involves getting the best possible evidence about what students have learned and then using this information to decide what to do next.

This has been a “lovely” month of learning together across our region.  ARI hopes this learning has touched the “HEARTS” of students in the classrooms.

January in Review

 

Region 4 hit the ground running in 2014!  Many of our LEAs requested professional development for their mid-year in-service days immediately following the Christmas holidays.  These requests provided opportunities to learn alongside the teachers in the region.  

Gina Riley and Fayette Elementary School teachers examined the Tri-State EQUiP Rubric and explored ways to incorporate more of the CCRS Writing Standards into daily instruction.  

Sherry Corbett, ARI regional, and Meg Rankin,  AMSTI regional, enjoyed a morning of Quality Questioning  and Mathematics practice standards with the Fayette Middle School math teachers.  This ARI/AMSTI collaborative Professional Learning Group (PLG) began last year and is working with teachers to encourage student discourse with high quality questioning at Fayette Middle School!

Region 4 has been honored to support the teachers at Brookwood High School this year.  Brookwood High School principal, Mrs. Laura McBride, and her amazing faculty have implemented Strategic Teaching as a means to really impact daily instruction and the students are reaping the benefits!  Mrs. Karen Davis, introduced the novel “The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian” by Sherman Alexie, to her senior honors class by sharing the first chapter as a read-aloud.  Our students are never too old for a read-aloud!
 

Working together with our Huntington Place Elementary teacher friends for our team learning has been a great experience for us this year.  Mrs. Andrea Hamner, HPES principal, and her fabulous faculty have been awesome collaborative partners for learning and practice with the ELA Standards.  What a great experience!